Octavian Flashcards
What did Calpurnia do after Caesar’s death?
Gave Antony Caesar’s personal papers and custody of his property – marking him as Caesar’s heir.
What did Lepidus do 2 days after Caesar’s death (16 March 44BC)?
Marched over 6,000 troops into Rome to restore order and to act as the bodyguards of the Caesarian faction
17th March 44BC - what compromise did Antony make with the senate?
Caesar’s assassins would be pardoned and, in return, all of Caesar’s actions would be ratified.
What did Caesar’s will say?
Great-nephew Octavian was adopted. His gardens were given to the people as a place of recreation. Every citizen of Rome got 75 drachmas.
How did Antony instigate punishment of murderers?
Caesar’s funeral - presented blood-stained toga to the crowd and instigated a riot. Brutus and Cassius fled to Greece.
Who said Caesar’s assassination ”was a fine deed but half done”?
Cicero
What are the Philippics?
A series of speeches Cicero made in the senate attacking Antony as a tyrant.
What event does this quote relate to? “His is an astonishing, I might say superhuman, quality of mind and spirit; … we must give him our formal support, so that his defence of the res publica may be not just his own private enterprise but a commission from us.”
Cicero proposing that Octavian be given pro praetorian imperium against Antony.
What does Octavian say about receiving the pro praetorian imperium?
“It ordered me as propraetor to provide in concert with the consuls that the republic should come to no harm.”
How long did Octavian end up holding pro-praetorian imperium for?
Life
What were the senate’s mistakes in 43BC after Octavian defeated Antony’s army?
Trying to discard Octavian. Giving provincial commands to Brutus and Cassius.
What did Octavian demand from the senate after defeated Antony’s army in 43BC?
He demanded the consulship left vacant by the two supporters of Antony and demanded Antony’s status as a public enemy be lifted.
What did Octavian do when the senate refused him the consulship in 43BC?
Marched on Rome with 8 legions.
How did the Second Triumvirate come about?
A tribune’s law proposed by P. Titius and passed in the tribal assembly on 27 November 43 BC.
What was the purpose, powers and territory of the Second Triumvirate?
Purpose - to set the state in order and attack the armies of Brutus and Cassius.
Powers – absolute; the powers of a dictator.
Territory – divided among the three
Describe the proscriptions carried out by the Second Triumvirate.
To eliminate opposition and gain money. 300 senators (including Cicero) were killed and 2000 equestrians.
What were the first actions taken by the Second Triumvirate after the proscriptions?
Julius Caesar was deified.
They prepared for battle against Brutus and Cassius.
When was the Battle of Philippi?
42BC
Who was defeated in the Battle of Philippi?
Brutus and Cassius
What were the results of the republican defeat at the Battle of Philippi?
The republican party was wiped out
Octavian had avenged the murder of his ‘father’.
The triumvirs split the empire between them:
Antony – Gaul and the East.
Octavian – Spain, Sardinia and Africa as well as settling the veterans in Italy.
Lepidus – ignored at first. Later Africa.
When was the treaty of Brundisium?
40 BC
What was the treaty of Brundisium about?
The triumvirs settled their differences and decided to share Italy.
When was Lepidus deposed (kicked out) from the triumvirate?
37 BC
What honour did Octavian receive in 36 BC?
tribune sacrosanctity
What did Antony do in 34 BC to anger the Romans?
Sat on thrones with Cleopatra and their 3 children were made kings and queens of various territories.
What did Antony do in 33 BC to anger the Romans?
Divorced Octavia and married Cleopatra, making himself a king of Egypt.
What did Octavian do in 33 BC to instigate war against Antony (through Cleopatra)?
Opened his will (illegally) and read it in the senate. Apparently Antony intended to leave Roman territory to Cleopatra and their children.
